


Another's Love

by FamousSmuggler



Series: Requests and Oneshots [16]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Angst, Asshole UF!Sans, Broken UF!Paps, Fluff, Fontcest, Hurt/Comfort, Implied Relationships, Implied/Referenced Incest, Injury Recovery, M/M, Near Death Experiences, Physical Abuse, Trauma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-29
Updated: 2017-03-29
Packaged: 2018-10-12 15:30:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,568
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10493931
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FamousSmuggler/pseuds/FamousSmuggler
Summary: His mistakes as a child have made his adult life living hell





	

**Author's Note:**

> Sansy was feeling a bit down so I made her a thing

There was a hollowness that filled his bones when he took off his armor. The lack of protection it granted leaving him feeling more vulnerable than he already did. He didn’t want to be home, not tonight, but there was nowhere left for him to go. Undyne would not allow him to stay again after the last time and quite frankly Papyrus didn’t blame her.

 

Sans had gone overboard the last time Papyrus tried to hide out there, screaming and cussing, destroying Undyne’s already tattered home. The fish woman was ready to raise a hand to the skeleton but Papyrus stopped her, all but begging her to leave his brother alone. They were exiled from her home shortly after that and Papyrus allowed his anger to surface for the first time in years.

 

_ “What in the hell is actually wrong with you brother!?” He cried “Undyne is the captain of the guard! THE GUARD, Sans! Where the fuck do you-!” _ __  
_  
_ __ “Shut up.” 

 

_ Not only the sudden words, but the tone took the taller skeleton by surprise, “What did you say?” His own words were laced with a mix of his own venomous frustration and confusion, but Sans was not confused. He was confident as he spoke. _

 

_ “I said...shut.up.” _

 

Papyrus still remembered the fire in his brother’s left eye, his magic forming out of hate...hate for his younger brother. It amazed him that two little words could be the end of whatever meager relationship they had, but sure enough that was all it took. Now when he returned home from work he hid in his room to avoid Sans’ ire, which only seemed to grow worse and worse as time passed. He would spend every waking moment he could at Grillby’s getting piss drunk and then stumbling, or telelporting, home. It was there that Papyrus’ torment begin.

 

The front door to their shared home slammed shut followed by the familiar insults and curses from his brother. Papyrus shook his head and tried to focus on getting himself ready for bed. He wished his brother had never changed, that he never forced his brother to change…

 

“OI! Papyrus! I know you’re fucking here!” The door to Papyrus’ room slammed open before he even heard the words slur from his intoxicated brother’s mouth, the locks would have to be replaced again “What the fuck do you think you’re doing!?” Papyrus looked down at his bare torso then back to Sans’ flushed face.

 

He answered as calmly as he could that he planned on turning in early tonight so he could start work earlier in the morning, but Sans interrupted him midway by turning Papyrus’ soul blue and throwing him against the wall. A sharp yelp of pain almost escaped him but he ground his jagged, broken teeth to keep quiet. He could hear the crack of bone curl around his skull and dip into his left eye socket. It stung like a bitch and he was sure there was an indent in his wall from where he hit, but still he remained quiet.

 

Sans walked, kind of, up to him with the same hate filled snarl on his face, “Do you knew all the trouble ya fuckin’ caused me today…?” Papyrus let out a small gasp, his magic threatening to flare if he didn’t remain totally in control. 

 

_ I can’t strike out. He has 1-HP. If I hurt him...he could… _

 

A sudden shout from Sans snapped Papyrus back to the situation he was currently in, “N-no, brother...I don’t!” His skull was ringing with a fierce, high pitch noise but he tried his best to focus on his angry brother’s voice. Sans spat as he spoke, more like screamed, about the incident that had occurred, Papyrus did not do his rounds today, just like last week and the week before. Sans knew Papyrus and Undyne spent the end of the week going over battle plans and training regiments so his patrol was always left to one of the canines...which meant one of them didn’t do it…

 

Again.

 

Sans lifted his brother from the wall and tossed him to the door, “Get the fuck out there and do your job, Papyrus! I can’t, nah, won’t keep fucking covering for you!” Papyrus reached out with a long arm to grab hold of his battle body, raising it up barely passed his crooked knee before Sans threw a bone through it. As it usually did, anger formed in Papyrus’ chest, the marrow from the crack in his skull muddling his left eye to the point of blurred vision and now he was forced to go out into their “Kill or be killed” world alone late at night. But there was no point in protesting, he knew that already. Sans would just keep tossing him around like the pathetic bag of bones that he was until there was no where left for him to go but out.

 

“Of course...I’ll get right on it.” He bowed his head, defeated, a mantra chanting in his head over and over to try and outweigh the ringing. There was a scoff from behind Papyrus before the front door slammed loudly behind him. Papyrus struggled to his feet and slid the damaged armor over his torso again, the bit of thin metal that had been caved in poked and prodded at him but he ignored it.

 

He deserved this. He made Sans’ life hell growing up, it was only a matter of time before the older brother lashed back. Papyrus did this...and now he would deal with it.

 

The few lingering monsters in Snowdin square eyed him with predatory intent. The target on his back now grew tenfold because of his noticeably injured body. Try and he might he just couldn’t hide that limp well, which was only going to make traversing Waterfall even more treacherous. Papyrus summoned a bone cane to help stabilize his body but the growing haze in his skull made the staggering steps grow much worse far quicker.

 

Papyrus could hear the squish of the marshy floor, the savage surge of the water over the craggy rocks, and the sounds of the small pebbles that crunched and shifted under his boot and he struggled over the bridge. He kept his gaze down to focus on the teetering bridge, swaying and splitting in his blurred vision. His next step slid off a rock left unaccounted for, throwing his entire body off balance. Gloved hands grabbed hold of the slippery rocks, his mind falling into a panic as he scrambled to keep himself from falling into the waters below.

 

He wanted to call out for his brother to help him, to beg for Sans to give him another chance to prove himself. To prove that he could do better as a little brother, but as his hands slipped free of the rocks keeping him mostly dry he realized something crucial.

 

Sans didn’t love him and he wasn’t going to save him.

 

**~.~**

 

An explosion rang out through the caves of Waterfall. Any newcomer would have fled in terror at the shouts that followed, cried for the guard to save them when another explosion rang out, but Sans wasn’t a newcomer and smiled dearly as he approached the chaos. Tucked away in a small clearing in the rocky wall, an expressive fish styled house laid smoking from its eye-like windows, the dummy on the outside of the property had a large sweatdrop running down its patched head and the skeleton couldn’t help but laugh.

 

You would think your homely fixtures would be use to your shenanigans after a while.

 

A small fist rose to knock of the battered door but it swung open before the bones could connect, revealing two soot covered grinning monsters.

 

“BROTHER!!!” A lanky skeleton shot out from the door, tackling Sans in a bone crushing hug “You missed it! Undyne destroyed the kitchen for the-!”

 

“Three-hundred and third time?” Sans interrupted with a cheeky grin.

 

The other monster moved away with a calculative look, “Huh, you’re right, wait have you been actually keeping count?!” Sans winked at his brother

 

“Are you?” Papyrus rolled his sockets and got up, extending a hand to his brother and helping him up as well. Undyne made small mocking noises at them, paired with a strangely fanged kissy face that looked downright horrifying on the fish monster’s face. Sans shook the image free of his mind and returned a smile to his brother’s lifelong best friend. They both shared their exciting discoveries while cooking together, such as alcohol and fire, while being bad for a dish, made excellent party tools. The longer they explained the more Sans could feel the inevitable disaster brewing in his midsts. 

 

After the two disclosed their mastermind plans for next week with Sans, the skeleton brothers bid farewell to the guard captain and turned their attentions to heading home. As they walked Papyrus continued to talk to Sans about the fun he and Undyne were having with the cooking lessons and while they brought a smile to the older monster’s face, there was a hint of guilt there as well.

 

He scratched his skull as he tried to think of how to say what he wanted to say, “Bro, you know why Undyne started those cooking lessons, right?” Papyrus crooked his eye ridge at his brother and Sans felt increasingly more guilty “I mean, you know you’re awesome bro, and she knows it too, but...have you ever thought of why you’re not in the guard?” Papyrus gave his brother a soft chuckle, leaning down to clink his teeth to the fretting monster’s skull.

 

“Of course I have brother! I am well aware of why I am not in the guard.” The declaration was...shocking, to say the least, for  Sans to hear. Papyrus knew, but he didn’t care. He kept acting as optimistic and cheerful as he always had because that’s what they needed him to be. And he was happy to fill the role. Sans couldn’t stop the smile coming to his face, and even if he could he wouldn’t. His brother was just too cool. 

 

As they came out of the last cave before the river person’s boat, a sense of dread locked onto Sans’ soul. The connection he had with Papyrus tightened painfully, sending sharp surges of pain through his bones. The younger immediately locked onto the pain and returned to Sans’ side, comforting him as best he could while not truly knowing what he could do to actually ease it. Calm, soothing words came from his mouth as he looked around the streams for something to help ease whatever the pain was.

 

Sans let out a gasp of air, coughing like he had been choked, “Paps, the water…” Papyrus didn’t want to turn his attention away from Sans but the moment he did he could see his brother’s interest. Floating down the stream, head barely above the water, was another skeleton. Clad in dark, damaged armor and tight black pants with a red and gold belt wrapped around his exposed hips. “Get...damn...get em outta the water Paps. I’m fine.” The broken, gasp filled speech did little to ease Papyrus’ worry of his brother, but still he rushed over to the water’s edge and tried to grab hold of the new monster.

 

His bones were softened by the water and covered with scars and chips. A large hole went through his dark armor, an almost exact replica of Papyrus’ own battle body, right where his heart would be and even from where Papyrus was he could see the uneven shards of metal that no doubtedly cut into the skeleton’s ribs. Sans called out to Papyrus, asking about the strangers condition. 

 

_ Horrible, inexcusable… _ ”He’s alive.” It wasn’t much but it was something. “Brother, he’s very hurt.” Sans joined Papyrus by the water’s edge to look over the skeleton himself.

 

“Broken teeth, untreated cracks and chips, and...shit that’s a nasty one on his head…” Papyrus glared at Sans for the language but agreed nonetheless. “Hang onto him, bro. I know a shortcut home.” Oh Papyrus hated when Sans used his shortcuts but this monster needed help as soon as absolutely possible, and that was more important than his discomfort for the strange teleportation magic. 

 

In the blink of a socket they were in their home, crouched on the floor of their bathroom with the stranger’s shivering form curled into itself as best it could. The brothers began to slowly remove his clothes, the hardest being the armor carapace. The once clean tile became covered in muddy puddles mixed with stars only knew what, his clothes would need to be washed once or twice to fully get the stench out  but that was nothing compared to the physical recovery.

 

“Let’s get him some clean clothes for now, Paps. Nothing we can do ‘til he wakes up.” The older brother had a point. There really wasn’t much they could do besides clean the deep crack in his skull and recloth him, once he woke up they could find out more. Sans was careful while cleaning out the skull wound and did his best not to flinch while doing so. It wrapped fully around the back of his skull just barely not touching the the base before curling around and dipping into his left socket. There was a lot of irritation, reddening in the bone but Sans hoped the bit he did was enough to at least sooth some of the unavoidable discomfort.

 

Papyrus returned with night clothes for the monster. The outfit was probably the only plain pair of night clothes that Papyrus even own but both brothers agreed that it was something their unexpected guest would surely appreciate. Dressing the skeleton was far worse than cleaning the wound. Papyrus and Sans could do little but argue about what was the safest yet most efficient way to get him clothed. Their bickering never grew in volume but its continued presence had begun to unknowingly rouse the monster in their laps.

 

_ Where...where am I? _ He wanted to speak but a sharp pain shot through his jaw when he tried. He tried to push his magic into his eyes so he could see better but nothing would form in his right and his left was completely dark.  _ I can’t see. Why can’t I see!? _ He couldn’t remember if anything happened after the fall. Was he captured?  Was he dead? No, not dead, there were voices, voices that sounded far too familiar to be a coincidence. They sounded like him…

 

And his brother.

 

He had to apologize. He had failed, again. If Sans would just give him another chance after this sad display he knew he could prove that he was worth those years of trouble. That he was worth Sans’ attention. He needed to move. He needed to get up. If he could hear Sans that meant Sans was near, that meant Sans would see how weak he was.

 

“Whoa, bud! You need to stay down!” Bud? Sans never called him bud unless...no. No, no, no, no! Against his body’s better wishes, Papyrus flailed his arms and kicked his legs against the hold of the mysterious monsters. He felt the feel of bone on bone as his limbs were grabbed and restrained. “C’mon kid, ya need to calm down!” No, he couldn’t do that. Sans was mad, his words were lies. It was a ploy to get him to ease himself into feeling safe. The other voice, the one that sounded like him, tried to calm him down as well but their efforts only surged Papyrus’ instinct to flee. In a burst of strength, he lunged forward and tore his arms away from their hold. Something was wrapped around his legs so his movement was restricted to his knees but it was enough to get him away and that’s all that mattered. His curled himself as tightly as he could  into the corner of the bathroom, shooting what he hoped was a murderous glare at the blurred monsters across from him. Whatever the look was it was enough to make the two monsters back off.

 

“Brother we can’t just leave him here!” The one that mimicked him cried. He could see the fuzzy silhouettes rise and move away.

 

The one that sounded like Sans spoke evenly, an almost pained sound in his voice “I know, but we can’t force him, Paps. C’mon.” Papyrus watched as they began to slowly filter out of the room, wishing him a goodnight’s sleep. The sound of the nickname long lost to him causing tears to fall from his sockets.

 

**~.~**

 

For the coming weeks the routine remained the same. The two duplicate brothers came in with food and water for Papyrus as well as a change of clothes. For the first few days he did nothing but stay in his corner, his head tucked into the tattered scarf he brother gave him a lifetime ago. The...other him was a friendly monster, full of smiles and positivity. He was so quick to say they could help him yet they didn’t even know him. 

 

Heh...lies. Like they always were. What could they do to help? The only thing that mattered was getting back to Sans and begging him to forgive him. At least that was how he originally felt. The longer the two brother’s continued their efforts, the more Papyrus wanted to open up to them. How long had it been since he found a monster willing to sit down and talk with him without there needing to be some reason or favor returned. Now he found himself almost eager for the energetic him to come in and try and talk with him.

 

The soft knock at the bathroom door lifted his spirits. Meer moments later the small figure of not his brother came waddling in. Papyrus still didn’t know how to feel about this Sans. The fear of his own brother made even looking at this Sans painfully difficult but the more obvious differences between them made it little easier.

 

“Hey bud, how are you doing?” This Sans’ voice was much softer than his brother’s, not nearly as raspy or deep but still a soothing baritone. Even with the comforts Papyrus still remained silent and curled in the corner “We should be able to take those bandages off today if you’ll let us.” Papyrus gave a small nod and loosened his tightly wound body enough to scoot into the corner a bit better. Sans set the food and clothes down within Papyrus’ reach and say himself down across from him but near the door. It was weird to have the other skeleton watch him eat but he never voiced those discomforts.

 

Sans narrowed his sockets at how delicately the skeleton ate, the broken, jagged teeth were likely painfully raw “Kid, can you do me a favor?” Papyrus nodded his head and set the food down “Show me on your hands how bad your teeth hurt.” Papyrus trembled as he rose his hands to show eight phalanges standing up. Yeah that was about what Sans was expecting. Whatever happened to this Papyrus was severe and worst of it all is he kept seeing his little bro whenever he looked at him. 

 

“We could fix them for you.” The sudden, surprisingly soft voice of this Sans’ Papyrus made him jump “But, um, it will be odd to try and explain everything if we have to address each other as this Papyrus or that Papyrus. Would it be okay to give you a moniker of sorts?” The cuddled monster looked between his food and the skeleton brothers. He took a moment to think about this. 

 

There were plenty of insulting names that flooded his mind but he didn’t want to be known as any of those. These brothers were giving him a chance he didn’t think he would ever have, a chance to start new. He was a fallen monster given a chance to rise again.

 

Sans noticed him trying to speak and urged him to take his time. His head shook, he had taken enough time. “Call me Fell.” Sans and Papyrus blushed slightly at the gruff, worn voice of the newly named skeleton. It was about what they were expecting but hearing it was far better than imagining and far more pleasant as well. 

 

“Heh, alrighty Fell. When you feel up to it come downstairs.” Sans smiled and rose up, resting a comforting hand on his brother’s shoulder “I’m gonna make a few calls. You got this, yea bro?” Papyrus nodded eagerly and took Sans’ spot across from Fell once he was out of the bathroom. Fell went back to slowly eating the food they gave him while Papyrus hummed contently on the floor. He felt renewed now that he no longer went by his own name, especially in the presence of this other Papyrus. He was far more deserving of the name. 

 

Papyrus left shortly after Fell stopped eating, taking the dishes out of the bathroom to wash them. Once alone, Fell slowly stretched out his scrunched up limbs to ease the ache in his joints. He truly was too tall to stay as curled as he had been these last weeks but since he was only just beginning to feel comfortable with the other two skeletons it was the price he had to pay. Another knock came to the door, it was Papyrus carrying his clothes minus his battle body.

 

The tall skeleton scratched his head, “I am, uh, sorry I don’t have your armor. We’re still working on the repairs on it.” Repairs? Why did they...oh. Because Sans, his Sans, had punctured it through in a fit of drunken tormenting. Fell had almost forgotten about that, in some respects he wish he had. He leaned his head back and shrugged, letting Papyrus walk over to set his clothes down and take the others that were brought earlier away. His dull eyes were drawn to the scarf around Papyrus’ neck, worn but not quite as tattered as his own. Fell wondered if his brother had given the garment to him like his own had. Papyrus didn’t linger longer than he needed too, telling Fell if he needed anything he would be waiting close by before he left, which earned him a nod before disappearing behind the door. 

 

It felt...odd to see his clothes again. With everything that had happened he wondered if he could really revert back into that monster again. But had he really changed either? What strides had he made since being here? He spoke. Something he did at home on the daily. Fell hadn’t done anything his brother would deem praiseworthy yet these two skeletons told him he was “doing great” whenever he ate a piece of bread. It was confusing and would only end in both of them getting dusted in his home.

 

He had enough scars to prove that even if most were from his brother, which brought something to his unwanted attention.

 

Standing up took Fell a lot longer to get used to than he thought it would. He wobbled, catching himself on the sink and using it to balance as he straightened out.  The reflection he saw was unappealing. Dark magic burns under his one visible eye, the other covered in heavy gauze. His teeth were broken and jagged from countless fights with his brother and never allowing them to get healed. Even his eyes lacked a certain level of liveliness that he felt should be present in any healthy monster. 

 

Then again, he wasn’t healthy was he?

 

Subconsciously, Fell’s hand rose to the bandage over his left eye. The bone was still horribly tender even through the multiple layers of gauze that Sans had applied, but some morbid sense of curiosity urged him to grip the fabric and begin pulling. Layer by layer it gathered in a sloppy pile on the countertop. Soon he could see the top of his skull but closed his eye just before he could see the true damage. Part of him didn’t want to see. That would make it real and crash the hope that this was all just some elaborate nightmare his guilt for disappointing Sans had caused, but even without the visible confirmation the gentle tracings he did were enough.

 

He was maimed, forever marked by his brother in a way that he would never be able to hide, and as he slowly opened his eye to truly see the damage the only thing he could think to do was scream.

 

And scream he did. 

 

Clawed fingers dug into his skull not giving a damn about the pain that shot through his bones when the fresh crack was touched. Papyrus was on him in an instant. Covered hands wrapped around his wrists to pull them away from the injury.  He screamed about what his brother had done, the torment he went through by his hand. Another pair of arms wrapped around him while he fought with Papyrus and his legs out from under him. Instead of fighting the descent, the brothers followed Fell whispering reassuring words against the monster’s skull.

 

“We got you bud. It’s okay, we got ya.” The soft, whispering baritone did little to actually ease his panic but the little it did allowed Fell to scream his tragedies in a more coherent tone. He spoke of how much of a disappointment he’d been and how no matter what he did he could never get the relationship back to the once brotherly love they had. Sans laid a hand gently against Fell’s head, making the panicking monster stare at him.

 

Fell’s one lit eye shimmered in a struggle to stay lit, “B-b-brother, brother I’m s-sorry. Please, let me come home. Sans, I want to come home.” He had to resist the urge to curse and scream about Fell’s words. No Sans should ever treat their brother this way and the sheer thought of it made him sick to his damn stomach, or at least it would if he had one.

 

“Fell...is your brother...is he the one?” Papyrus didn’t want to say it. The sheer thought that his brother could do all these horrible things to him for any reason at all was just inexcusable, yet here Fell was, nodding and apologizing for stars only knew what just to hopefully stay his brother’s hand. It was disgusting. They sat there for a while, just letting Fell howl and cry his despair until his body slumped against Papyrus’. His breathing remained erratic even after the struggling stopped but the calming caresses from Sans’ hand against his cheek was more help than the battered skeleton figured it would be. Once he was calm enough to move easily, Fell pulled his body into the same curled ball from before. 

 

Sans moved off of Fell’s legs so the monster could return to the position of safety he had assumed since he arrived there, but stayed kneeling in front of him with his hand still caressing the monster’s sharp cheeks.

 

Papyrus released Fell’s wrists and wrapped his arms around the monster’s shoulders, “You’re welcome here as long as you want, Fell.” The nod was barely noticeable, to the point where Papyrus felt it more than he saw it. “Please, let us take you to my room. You deserve actual rest.” Again, another barely visible nod. The brothers coordinated themselves to help Fell stand and directed him to Papyrus’ room. If his soul wasn’t in such turmoil, he might have chuckled at the racecar bed.The two situated him and began to move out, stopping when Fell reached out and grabbed Sans’ jacket sleeve. 

 

“Why...why does my brother hate me while you love yours?” Fell’s question sent a shiver down Sans’ spine. He didn’t really have an answer for that because in his mind, there was no reason. He couldn’t see his Papyrus doing anything that would make him love him less than he did already, and he damn sure could not ever see himself laying a hand on Papyrus in any way that would be permanently damaging. He took a deep breath and tried his best to smile at Fell. He explained that what his brother had done was everything but okay and there was little he could see Fell actually doing that would be deserving of his life being tormented and pushed to the edge as his brother had done. There was a flash of understanding that crossed Fell’s face, but all and all he just looked exhausted. Sans tapped the bottom of his jaw, gently cupping his hand around the monster’s chin to make him look up at him.

 

“Look bud, I know it was hard but we made a lot of good progress here.” He smiled, the sudden warmth in Fell’s eyes feeling genuine and relieved “I know this is all a lot to take it, but its only been a few weeks. You’ll get there and Papyrus and I will be with you along the way. Okay?” Fell gave Sans a quick nod then bowed his head to stare at the floor. The brothers shared a look then stepped closer to Fell, clinking their teeth to the top of his skull. The affected monster shot his head up to stare at the retreating, smiling, brothers with a confused blush peppering his cheeks.

 

“We’ll ask the doc to make a housecall, rest up for now okay?” The brothers didn’t wait for a response from Fell, they just left him in the comforts of the decorative room to rest while he could.

 

Papyrus stopped at the base of the stairs and leaned his frame against them. Fell’s soul wrenching words had left an imprint on him. Could he and his brother ever get that bad? Would he let it get that bad? Naturally he wanted to answer no but the reality was, Papyrus just couldn't know. He looked over at Sans who seemed to be struggling with the information about as horribly, though probably worse, as he was. Papyrus couldn't imagine what went through his brother's head when Fell began to cry out his name in complete and total fear. To hear him beg for Sans not to hurt him, apologizing for screwing up and embarrassing him time and time again.

 

Even though Sans knew it wasn't him that Fell was afraid of, it didn't make it easier to hear. "Paps, get things ready for the doc yeah?" The younger nodded and asked Sans what he was going to be doing "Just gonna make sure of some things. Want the kid to be comfy, ya know?" The answer made Papyrus smile and immediately began setting up the home for their visitors, while Sans left outside with his phone in hand.

 

He needed to warn Alphys and Undyne about Fell's condition. He didn't have the soul to put the kid through any questions after his break down but at the very least he could prepare them for the change of his moods.

 

**~.~**

 

After the first visit, Alphys had done her best to make sure Fell was always comfortable before she came over. The first was, as expected, a horrible experience for everyone involved. Though it did give them quite the insight on his home. It was apparently, to put things extremely lightly, violent as all hell. Monsters took the term “kill or be killed” far too seriously and even monsters like Alphys were corrupt to the core.

 

Which brought up another issue for Fell seeing Alphys as a personal doctor, the scientist from his world had experimented on him and his brother in their early years, something that Fell seemed to akin to why he and his brother no longer got along. Sans wasn’t sure how true it was but Fell hadn’t been much of a liar so far, so he was inclined to trust his word at at least surface value. Alphys was understanding; however. She was overly accommodating for Fell and his backlash of emotions. 

 

“Y-y-you know, I’m r-really glad you ha-have such fantastic cont-trol of your magic.” Alphys smiled. It was obvious she was still uneasy with Fell but both monsters had made great strides in their almost daily sessions. “I almost n-never have t-to wor-worry about getting hit by a st-st-stray bone.” Fell would have responded but his mouth was left open for lizard to work on the jagged teeth. His natural biology meant for the teeth to be fang like, but the countless breaks were not supposed to be there and Alphys offered, once Fell would let her near him, to fix them. He was thankful for her attention to his body. If he was hurting too much she would stop and sooth the pain away or if he grew too fidgety she would give him things to distract himself. It was definitely an unorthodox situation but it worked for them. 

 

After hours of work and breaks, Alphys stepped away from Fell and fetched a small hand mirror for the skeleton. He was silent for many long, uncomfortable seconds, and Alphys was beginning to think that she didn’t do a good job smoothing out the jagged sides of the teeth.

 

“Oh, oh n-n-no! I messe-!” 

 

“It’s...gone.” Fell interrupted “The pain is gone.” Alphys nodded eagerly and explained the process to the skeleton in as simple of details as she could. She knew he wasn't truly paying attention, that he was more in awe at the moment of how painless he felt for the first time in a long time but it helped her ease into a more comfortable setting other than doctor and patient.

 

The royal scientist heard the soft knocks against the door and was greeted by the curious faces of Sans and Papyrus. Their perpetual smiles shined a bit brighter when Fell looked up from the hand mirror. Alphys was able to salvage the two sets of longer fangs at the corners of Fell’s mouth, the teeth in between had to be filed and smoothed down to smaller points to keep them mostly even but all and all it gave a strong sense of elegance to him. One that the brothers not only found fitting, but appealing.

 

“Heh, well look at you, kid.” Sans said with a uplifted voice “I think he might give you a run for your money with best smile, bro.” Papyrus and Fell both blushed at the compliment but Papyrus recovered a lot quicker.

 

“Nyeh heh heh heh! Nonsense, brother! Fell here clearly has the better smile, just look at it!” though his brows were creased with slight embarrassment, Fell quietly thanked the brothers and Doctor Alphys before quickly breaking line of sight. Sans could understand the shift of his face whenever they praised him, it was unfamiliar, uncomfortable, but that wasn’t the look that grabbed Sans’ attention more times than not. It was the one of curiosity whenever he watched Sans and Papyrus together. Their relationship was no secret to anyone in their Underground, Papyrus made sure of that, but Sans could only figure based off his relationship with his brother that Fell was not accustom to any form of loving touch.

 

Alphys excused herself from the room and Papyrus followed, leaving the stout skeleton alone with their guest. The magic immediately spiked, fear and dreaded anxiety taking a strong hold on Fell’s entire being. They had been working on his beaten in fear of Sans, it was a slow process but Sans felt they were making small strides. 

 

“You okay, Fell?” He asked when he watched Fell’s hands clench over his knees.

 

The light blush over his face darkened a bit, “Fine.” Sans scrunched his face in disbelief and stepped further into the room while staying away from the still fretting monster. He expressed his concern, and disbelief, based on Fell’s tense magical aura. Fell drug a hand over his face and looked away from Sans. The skeleton tucked his hands into his jacket, trying to keep the concerned look on his face leveled, but Fell continued to irritatedly fidget with his hands. Sans tried to urge him to talk about what was going on and Fell shot up from his seat with the most hurt and confused look Sans had ever seen on him.

 

He spoke in thick, broken tones evident of his confusion “Why can't my brother love me like you do yours?!” his one red eye flared, hurt “Nothing I do is good enough! Not a damn thing! He is so trapped in the past! He can't see...he can't...and he won't.” Fell crumbled to the floor in frustrating defeat. Sans was sure that as a Papyrus, losing just didn't come naturally to the lanky skeletons but as he watched Fell crumble to the floor, his brother’s name on his tongue, the stout skeleton actually recognized the pain he was in. He knew exactly how he felt because he had been there before. 

 

Sans took a few cautious steps toward Fell then knelt down, “Hey, I might not know much about where you’re from but I’m sure your brother loves you, even if he doesn’t k-!”

 

“STOP LYING TO ME!” Fell screamed “He hates me! He treats me like nothing because I AM nothing! Even my position as a guardsman is only because of him!” Fingers gripped the carpet as Fell fought off the surge of emotion. Emotions were dangerous in his home, they lead to beatings, manipulation, and so much more. Sans felt his teeth groan under the pressure as his jaw tightened. His arms reached forward and wrapped around Fell’s neck in a tight hug. It broke his soul when the other didn’t even fight against the fresh contact, instead just taking it with limp arms as he sobbed into the fabric of his jacket. Sans had no doubt the thoughts that were going Fell’s head: weakling, useless, pathetic. His soul radiated all of them, the doubts, the pain.

 

Sans hated it and the fact that another version of himself was the cause just made it so much worse. He knew it wouldn’t matter how much he told Fell he wasn’t lying, that he honestly did believe his brother somewhere deep down did actually care about him, but that didn’t mean he was going to give up on him.

 

They had made progress after all.

 

“My brother is right Fell.” The even voice of his little brother sounded out from the doorway. Fell mumbled something against Sans’ jacket but neither of the brothers could really hear what it was. Papyrus walked in quickly and took a seat next to Fell, an arm slinking around his shoulders to pull both skeletons against him. “I am sorry your brother struggles to show it, but as long as you’re with us, we will show you nothing but love.” Sans nodded along with what his brother said. Agreeing with every single word. So long as Fell stayed with them, he would know what it meant to be loved and maybe if he ever ended up wanting to return home, he could rebuild his relationship with his brother with the same love they showed him.

 

It was a long shot, but Sans had seen stranger things happen.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading, take care everyone


End file.
